A growing number of new and expectant mothers are having their maternity rights threatened by employees, a new report has revealed.

There has been an increase in pregnant women and new mothers facing unfair treatment at work, including having their hours cut, being put on zero-hours contracts or even forced out of their job, according to Citizens Advice.

The charity said there had been a 25% increase in people seeking advice on pregnancy and maternity issues in the past year, with more than 22,000 visits to its website.

One woman turned to Citizens Advice for help when her employer cut her weekly hours by more than half after she told them she was pregnant.

Her boss claimed there was not enough work available to keep her on her previous hours, despite taking on new staff at the same time.

Another woman contacted her employer to find out why she had not received any maternity pay, to be told they had ended her contract while she was on maternity leave.

Citizens Advice chief executive Gillian Guy said: "Pregnant women should be supported at work, not made to fear for their livelihood.

"It is concerning that more and more new and expectant mums are experiencing discrimination issues at work.

"People with a baby on the way will have a lot on their minds already. The last thing they need is a threat to their income or job security. All employers should respect and uphold the rights of staff who are new parents or expecting a baby."